VACB registers case against ex-minister Thomas Chandy

Thiruvananthapuram: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau on Thursday registered a case against former transport minister Thomas Chandy and 21 others in connection with the alleged encroachment of wetland for construction of a road to his resort at Alappuzha.  The Vigilance special investigation unit - I in Thiruvananthapuram filed the FIR at the inquiry commissioner and special court (vigilance) in Kottayam. Alappuzha former district collector Venugopal, former sub-collector Sourav Jain and   resort managing director K.P. Thampi were among the others accused. The court directed the Vigilance to file the final report before April 19. 

The complainant in the case, Subash, urged the court that the decision to change the investigation team was aimed at sabotaging the case and hence wanted the  court  to supervise the probe. The court had earlier ordered a preliminary inquiry which found prima facie evidence of corruption.   The court was informed that a case needs to be registered against Mr Chandy and others. Based on that,  the court had ordered the vigilance to file a  first information report.